Malatra
Malatra or the Jungle Lands, are south of T'u and Shou Lung, and is a collective name, encompassing several peoples. The main civilizations are the Kuong Kingdom, the hill tribes of Purang, and the Seng of Laothan. Laothan is the northern jungle area of Malatra, sweeping south in a curve from the T'u Lung border to the Dwai river. A region of vast rainforest and monsoons, its people bear many similiarities with those of T'u Lung. The largest seaport of Laothan is Sayan, known for doing much trade with seafarers from more northerly countries. It is also known to be a town ruled by a powerful clan, and is widely considered to be a center of decadence. Another place is Deikhou. This town is a source of pottery, tiles, and other ceramic goods sold all over Laothan and the region. Deikhou is well known as a haunt for the mysterious wu jen. The Seng are noted for a small amount of spices, but more so for vast quantities of rice, for leather and wood products produced by skilled craftsmen, silver, and jewelry. Many exotic woods such as teak are bought through the Seng of Laothan. Purang is a hilly region, little known, home to primitive tribesman, noted for hunting with blowguns and poison darts. This region of dense jungle is fiercely defended by its inhabitants. Their contact with outsiders is limited, and trade and travel through and with the Purang is practically nonexistant. Kuong is the southern jungle country of this region, and has the heaviest jungle of all Malatra. The people are racially similiar to those of Purang, but more advanced. Its people worship what are known here as the Lords of Creation, a pantheon of deities that includes Indra, Garuda, Yama, etc (i.e. the Indian pantheon). The people of the Kuong Kingdom concentrate a great deal less on rice and more so on fruits and vegetables. Obvious to any casual visitor is that the Kuong are master workers in stone, as evidenced by their temple cities, made of massive and elaborately carved stone. Gems are another major source of income. Largest seaport, and indeed largest readily accesible city is that of Marabaya. The largest seaport in the entire region, seafarers take on cargos of gold, silver, ivory, furs, exotic woods, spices, and precious gems in Marabaya and deliver silk, pottery, sugar, and other goods to be sold throughout the Kuong Kingdom. It is worthy to note that due to the great distance from major armed forces and the lucrative trade here, wako are well known in local waters. A general note - the Jungle Lands are an area where borders are irrelevant. In the dense jungles, swamps, and misty mountains of the region, home to fierce poison-using tribesmen, tigers, and worse, it is considered very unsafe to venture far from the coast or the few towns in the region. Foreigners are welcome only in a few places. Even Shou Lung and Kozakura traders occasionally disappear in the region if they get too far off the beaten path. The Jungle Lands are truly the "heart of darkness" on Toril. Category:Locations in Kara-Tur